May 24 2020 (15:10)Travelogue onMumbai - IndrayaniPuneSuperfast-ExpressMumbaitripAnd posting this exactly after 366 days of this journey, at 19 PART-1:IndrayaniSuperfastExpressAndpostingthisexactlyafter366daysofthisjourney,at19

May 19 2020 (22:41)Really i am feeling happy that atleast once i travelled in ICF version of this train with its unique livery, but now, though he became LHB, but he became 110amongthe11(aswesay in 11,Tamil), having usual livery of LHB rakes

May 19 2020 (22:33)Then the rake was taken back to yard, wondering about that since after 5 minutes the same rake should leave as pune – Solapur superfast express Thentherakewastakenbacktoyard,wonderingaboutthatsinceafter5minutesthesamerakeshouldleaveaspune–SolapursuperfastexpressReally i am feeling happy that atleast once i travelled in ICF version of this train with its unique livery, but now, though he became LHB, but he became 1 in 11, having usual livery of LHB rakes

May 19 2020 (22:27) And posting this exactly after 366 days of this journey, at 19052019

Travelogue on Mumbai - Pune - Mumbai trip. PART - 1 : Indrayani Superfast Express..And posting this exactly after 366 days of this journey, at 19.05.2019..There...more...

are many options for tourists / rail enthusiasts to travel between Mumbai and pune. that too one will definitely plan in such a way that at least in single direction that they will take this legendary deccan queen superfast not only due to its unique feature, having old and unique livery of central railways, having a dining car in the rake and offering delicious cuisine, but for its monstrous run and for its limited stops too. .But, my choice at that juncture was quite different, since I always loved to travel in a diesel hauled train and heard about the monstrous run that the Indrayani Superfast used to offer with diesel traction, and also its timings being comfortable for me, having some coaches of old and unique livery in central railways, felt that I must try this train. Have seen in many train videos that this train being hauled by ALCos and EMDs, but have never seen and travelled in the same in person. So I was very much eager to give it a try..All set, booked tickets, got window seat, came Mumbai, roamed for a day, came back to my dormitory in CSMT and kept alarm for next day morning at 04:25 hrs and slept. Woke up immediately after alarm rung, got ready within an hour and came to platform 12 when 15 more minutes were there for departure of the train. .Now was seeing the rake of indrayani superfast with a joy as last SLR coach of that train was Janshatabdi liveried, having big red coloured train board with beautiful white fonts, was searching for my coach D4, boarded it and searched for my seat, felt extremely happy because my coach was having that unique old livery of central railways and my seat was a track sided window seat in the direction in which the train moves. .So kept my big shoulder bag in the luggage rake, came out of the coach, performed some rituals which every rail enthusiast mostly used to perform. Clicked pictures of the rear and front board of the train, small train boards outside my coach, and loco, yes loco was parked in such a way that loco was outside the platform. Since the sun did not come out by then, did not get a proper picture of my loco but yet managed to snap one by standing near the 1st coach. The loco which is going to take this train till pune at that day was WDP – 4D, GT46ACe, 4500 Hp dual cab EMD locomotive numbered 40156 from PUNE shed. .And took selfies outside of my coach in the train, my train was sparsely crowded, next to my platform, Tapovan express was there and rake of Mumbai CSMT – Karmali Tejas superfast was being shunted. Recorded some train announcements while the final departure announcement for my train was made and dot on time slowly, we started from CSMT while sun also started showing its face to us. .Train slowly looped into main line, and picked up speed effortlessly, was cruising through Mumbai suburbs, witnessed some highspeed crossings of the incoming trains to Mumbai like late running Gadag CSMT express and Nandigram express. Since that was my first day time direct journey from CSMT to Pune, curiously gazed the Mumbai suburbs, coaching yards, local trains, etc… Meanwhile, we reached dadar within 15 minutes if time and a huge crowd started boarding the train in such a way that all seats got full and even few where standing. .Train halted few minutes in Dadar and we accelerated out of dadar towards thane in no time. As we were accelerating out, I spotted a train with KYN based WCAM – 2 locomotive hauled train entering dadar which is Chennai egmore – dadar superfast express. We crossed matunga and kurla in no time, was curiously watching the point where the railway line from lokmanya tilak terminus would arise and start running parallel to our railway line..And we even crossed train like amaravati superfast express, our train maintained at constant MPS till it arrived thane, there itself the train got jampacked. Even standing crowd was full. Even it halted very briefly there. As we departed from thane I started clicking random pics of the nature and the trains crossing us. .Took some random pics of thane creek, where we gradually was accelerating. And even parsik tunnel came, I was out of control and started clicking videos as our train entered amd exited parsik tunnel, the picturesque entry of this tunnel and the EMD loco honking and humming through the tunnel and accelerating, literally I got goosebumps..Even today I used to wonder by seeing the pics and videos I clicked there. As the line bifurcated for panvel as we exited the parsik tunnel, huballi – lokmanya tilak terminus was entering into Mumbai from panvel . Then we slowly entered diva, where Diva – Sawantwadi road Sindhudurg passenger hauled by 11183 numbered WDM – 3D loco of erode loco shed was waiting for its departure. We skipped diva bit slowly, then pick up speed. Then diesel loco showed all its wrath, went in maximum permissible speed till kalyan within which mr. sun started showing its full face. Some more people again boarded at kalyan, now my coach flooded with passengers, slowly we moved out of kalyan, random chikki and local food vendors started showing up..After we moved out of thane itself that appearance of the city slowly started disappearing. After kalyan, need not explain. Gradually started experiencing that mightiness of the western ghats. Though it was a sunny day, the chill winds were pleasing me. And train beautifully negotiated many curves and I was tirelessly clicking every possible time the train went in a curve. And the humming and acceleration sounds of EMD cant be heard much because of the crowd in my coach. We skipped neral jn in a very good speed. My eyes were searching for neral – matheran narrow guage loco and train but I was happy that I atleast saw the narrow guage platforms. Then as we maintained at MPS till karjat, we did not get slowed down anywhere till we arrived karjat..We were looped In Platform 1 in karjat for its scheduled halt and for attaching the bankers for the train to climb uphill. As soon as the train arrived karjat, the bankers, I mean the locos which are attached at the back of the train to give pushing effect and also helps for additional braking power. Those were ready and as soon as the train stopped, I went to backside of the train to see the bankers and by the time I went, they have already entered the line and were closely approaching my train. It was gradually attached to the train..The bankers for this train was twin WAG – 7 class electric locomotives of kalyan shed with nos 27118 attached with the train and 27117 at the rearmost. As soon as the bankers were attached, I rushed to my coach to board the train and honks from both bankers and the leading loco was given. Even in this small gap, I managed to get a pair of vada pav, a common delicacy in Mumbai, and somehow boarded my coach within train started moving. In that crowd some one occupied my seat and then I showed my ticket to take back my seat..And at the very moment of departure, I heard some vague honking. I kept my cameraphone ready. Already some WDG – 4D class locomotive with concor consist was already standing at karjat jn. That honk came closer. From far it seemed like WAP – 7 locomotive, and I tried to take a video of that train. I realised that very locomotive was WAP – 5 class locomotive when train came comparatively near to me. Yes that was the first time I saw WAP – 5 class locomotive with my naked eyes. I was extremely happy that I captured a video of a train that is hauled by such a locomotive. That too 30039 numbered WAP – 5 of Ghaziabad shed. It was hauling darshan ac superfast express..Meanwhile, my train departed karjat and cleared the loop slowly, after exiting karjat I could able to see goods yard with lots of goods rake and each coupled with a locomotive, as we slowly started to gain speed, we had already entered palasdhari which is heaven for most of the rail enthusiasts. Yes it is very much obvious since the station starts with a curve and goes straight and steep upgradient, showing that the ghat section has commenced, and take a right side curve. A scenic locations to capture trains with bankers ( for uphill trains as down hill train goes without bankers, not sure of downhill travelling goods trains though.).After leaving palasdhari, even myself I could feel that we are climbing uphill and EMD locomotive gave its best efforts to climb uphill and the bankers supported it effectively. I lost my control and started clicking “n” number of pictures. Meanwhile, slowly munched the vada pav which quenched my hunger too. Then back to my photography business, yes train was moving in reasonable speed, climbing hills, entering and exiting tunnels, negotiating curves, crossed jambrug and thakurvadi cabin, taking photos of serene mountains, clouds, richness of the nature in western ghats, also was aware visually about the height in which the train was moving, when I saw below. Then and there could see banker locomotives moving downhill towards karjat jn..Once I crossed one such tunnel, I saw a catch siding which was very steeply ascending from a cabin, which is monkey hill cabin, yet another scenic location to capture trains for the rail enthusiasts. Realised that I am nearing the mighty khandala, which is a heaven for rail enthusiasts, travel fanners and nature lovers. And regarding that station if I say, after coming out of the tunnel, a curve comes following by a steep upgradient, then the station comes in the curve, after the curve ends, it straight away enters into a tunnel, literally got goose bumps when my train went through that upgradient and was skipping the station in a hot sunny morning with maximum efforts put up by the EMD locomotive. Then after series of small upgradients, then an upgradient, I was able to see a town, end of the upgradient showed me a station board showing lonavala, yes we arrived lonavala..As we arrived lonavala, people started deboarding, crowd in my coach reduced, bankers were detached and after a brief halt, we departed lonavala. Literally we accelerated out of lonavala, we picked up speed, at kamshet, where we negotiated a beautiful curve, yet another location for rail enthusiasts to capture the train where one can spot the high speed action of the trains. My train beautifully negotiated the kamshet curve in excellent speed, after which it got slowed down and crawled through kanhe, went in 15 kmh-1 for say some 5 kms due to some track work, while negotiating above temporary speed restriction due to the track work, meanwhile WDM – 3D locomotive in long hood front facing from kalyan loco shed hauling Kakinada – lokmanya tilak train also crossed us in the same speed. After skipping Talegaon my train slowly started accelerating..Though ghat section ended in lonavala, but still that we virtually could enjoy the beauty of the western ghats surrounding and the Mumbai – pune expressway passing parallel to us. But unfortunately could not able to see indrayani from indrayani i.e., could not see indrayani river from my train indrayani superfast since my seat was at right side of the train and that river passes at the left side of the train. .After Talegaon my train started picking up speed and went in maximum permissible speed, nearly before akurdi signs of city started appearing, which potentiated when we were moving further, chinchwad station came and enjoyed the curve, signs of entering pune suburb was evident. We were already 25 minutes before schedule. We were with minimal delay till lonavala. Then we looped into Shivaji nagar railway station, as we looped into, 51318 Pune – panvel passenger with chocolate boy locomotive 21878 numbered WCAM – 2 of kalyan shed was hauling the train. After deboarding at pune I planned to take this train back to khandala to enjoy the nature and spot some trains there. Could have deborded at lonavala and catched this train. But still wanted to perform end to end journey in this train. So I resisted this thought within myself..Still was helpless as we were 25 minutes behind the schedule and that train started leaving Shivajinagar by the time our train had arrived Shivaji nagar, helpless but calm, we marched slowly into platform four of pune jn, arrived at 09:20 hrs, 20 minutes behind the schedule. All the passengers started deboarding the train and I wondered about it. But still the run I had in this train, each and every second I still remember and I will never forget this wonderful trip in my life. .After then, Indrayani superfast express is one of my most liked train of all time. Macho man WDP – 4D 40156 of pune loco shed performed really well, then again took picture of that very loco attached with that train in different angles, that too in proper lighting, hence was satisfied..Then the rake was taken back to yard, wondering about that since after 5 minutes the same rake should leave as pune – Solapur superfast express. But then it was announced that the same was cancelled because of track works near daund jn. After that confusion solved. Then moved to platform one with tons of memories..Really i am feeling happy that atleast once i travelled in ICF version of this train with its unique livery, but now, though he became LHB, but he became 10 among the 11 (as we say in Tamil), having usual livery of LHB rakes.. (2300 words).Thank you very much for reading this patiently..Darnish C. .PART - 2 is just a click away from here. - /blog/post/4636107

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